How To Smoke A Cigar (For Noobs)

Whether you’re smoking Cubans or Swishers, we’ll cover how to cut a cigar, light it, and smoke it without vomiting.

By Kevin S. Koenig

#2. HOW TO CUT A CIGARYou’ll cut the cigar using one of those double-edged guillotines made for cutting cigars. If you need instructions on how to use one of those, for shame, sir.

There’s a “head” and a “foot” to a cigar. The head goes in your mouth, which of course lends itself to countless “giving head” jokes. With most cigars you have to circumcise clip the head before you can smoke them. Check for a cap — a small tapered bit that is held in place by a non-toxic adhesive — on this end of the cigar and cut the cigar through the cap.

Cut the cigar below the “shoulder” where the cap meets the body of the cigar. If you cut the cigar above the shoulder, it will come apart in your mouth. Not a good look.

PRO TIP #1: After cutting but before lighting, inhale air through the cigar. If it was rolled correctly, the air should draw through it evenly. If it doesn’t, toss the cigar and start over. Well, unless it’s your only one, obviously.